Long before the first European explorers set foot on Florida soil, numerous Native American tribes hunted, honored their gods, built burial mounds, and coexisted with one another in pockets of settlements across the state. This book explores the importance of archaeology in preserving the past for future generations, how archaeologists do their work, and even how young people can gain hands-on experience on a real dig. The different types of Indian mounds burial mounds, shell middens, and platform mounds and their uses are explained, as well as Indian languages and reservations. The authors provide detailed descriptions of 185 sites on the Native American Heritage Trail that mark important historical events, as well as a calendar of important dates that highlights the history, culture, setbacks, and successes of Florida's Native Americans.

Author Biography

Kevin McCarthy is professor emeritus and a distinguished alumni professor of Florida studies and English at the University of Florida in Gainesville, where he taught for 33 years. He has written many books for Pineapple Press.